Lying Scissor Kick
- Músculo objetivo
- Iliopsoas
- Músculos sinergistas
- Adductor Brevis, Adductor Longus, Adductor Magnus, Pectineous, Quadriceps, Sartorius, Tensor Fasciae Latae
- Equipamiento
- Body weight
- Parte del cuerpo
- Hips
- Tipo
- Strength
The lying scissor kick is a bodyweight hip flexor exercise that targets the iliopsoas, with the adductors (brevis, longus, magnus), pectineus, quadriceps, sartorius, and tensor fasciae latae assisting. Lying flat on your back, you alternate straight legs up and down without letting the heels touch down, which trains hip flexor endurance and anterior core control. It needs no equipment and works well as a finisher or as part of a core circuit.
Cómo hacer el Lying Scissor Kick
- 1Lie flat on your back on a mat with your legs extended and your arms at your sides, palms pressing lightly into the floor.
- 2Brace your core and tilt your pelvis slightly posteriorly so your lower back is flat against the mat.
- 3Lift both legs a few inches off the floor with your knees straight and your toes pointed, so the heels hover.
- 4Raise your right leg to roughly 45 degrees while lowering your left leg back toward the floor, stopping a few inches short of it.
- 5Reverse smoothly without pausing, raising the left leg as the right one descends, so the legs pass each other in a controlled scissor.
- 6Keep alternating for the set, exhaling steadily and never letting a heel touch the mat or your lower back peel off it.
- 7Bring both legs together and lower them to the floor under control to finish.
Consejos de técnica
- Use your lower back as the gauge: the set ends when you can no longer keep it pinned to the mat, not when your legs get tired.
- Move deliberately — roughly one second up, one second down. A slower tempo keeps constant tension on the iliopsoas and adductors instead of letting the legs swing.
- Raise the whole working window if the movement is too hard: keep the bottom leg at 20–30 degrees rather than just above the floor, which shortens the lever and cuts the lumbar demand.
- Keep your chin tucked and your head resting on the mat; craning your neck up adds no hip flexor tension and fatigues the neck first.
- Press your palms and low ribs down into the mat to help anchor the pelvis before the first rep.
Errores comunes
- Letting the lower back arch off the mat, which transfers load from the hip flexors to the lumbar spine and is the main injury risk in this movement.
- Dropping the bottom leg lower than your core can control, which forces the pelvis into an anterior tilt and turns a hip flexor exercise into a lumbar-extension test.
- Bending the knees to make the reps easier, which shortens the lever arm and sharply reduces the demand on the iliopsoas and adductors.
- Swinging the legs with momentum and bouncing at the top, which removes tension from the target muscles and inflates the rep count without adding stimulus.
- Holding your breath for the whole set, which spikes blood pressure and forces you to stop before the hip flexors are actually fatigued.
Preguntas frecuentes
What muscles do lying scissor kicks work?
The iliopsoas — the main hip flexor — is the target. The adductor brevis, adductor longus, adductor magnus, pectineus, quadriceps, sartorius, and tensor fasciae latae assist in raising, lowering, and stabilizing the legs.
How high should my legs be during scissor kicks?
Take the top leg to about 45 degrees and stop the bottom leg a few inches above the floor. The lower the bottom leg goes, the harder the iliopsoas works — only go as low as you can while keeping your lower back flat on the mat.
Are lying scissor kicks good for building core strength?
They build hip flexor endurance and anterior core control, but the iliopsoas does most of the work rather than the abs. Pair them with anti-extension work such as planks or dead bugs for a balanced core program.
How many reps should I do for lying scissor kicks?
Count one full cycle (right leg up, then left leg up) as a rep and aim for 10–15 per set for two to three sets. To progress, slow the tempo or hold the bottom leg lower rather than kicking faster.
Can I do scissor kicks if I have lower back pain?
Only with caution, since the movement pulls on the lumbar spine through the iliopsoas. Keep the legs higher to reduce that pull, stop if pain increases, and check with a healthcare professional first if you have a known back condition.
